


Empty Night

by kryptofreak13



Series: Hell’s Bells, Padawan [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Dresden Files Fusion, F/M, Magic, Meta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:41:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25656088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kryptofreak13/pseuds/kryptofreak13
Summary: There is no such thing as a relaxing night for wizard.Dresden Files AU. Kanan takes Ezra on as an apprentice.
Relationships: Ezra Bridger & Kanan Jarrus, Kanan Jarrus/Hera Syndulla
Series: Hell’s Bells, Padawan [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1848022
Comments: 3
Kudos: 15





	Empty Night

“Stars and stones,” Ezra muttered. He lifted his arm, the sleeve of his shirt now soaked with milk. The liquid pooled over the kitchen table, dripping off the sides. 

Kanan frowned as he passed Ezra paper towels. “You really shouldn’t swear, kid.”

“You literally say that all the time.”

“Yeah, well do as I say not as I do and whatnot,” Kanan replied. 

A mound of orange and black fur, roughly the size of a toddler, came bounding off the couch to lap up the puddle on the floor.

“Chopper, get back,” Ezra said, pushing the cat gently with his foot.

“I got it. Just focus on the potion. What’s next?”

Ezra studied the table, scattered with jars and Tupperware of various sizes, all meticulously labeled. 

Potions were relatively simple, or at least in theory. Each started with a base liquid, followed by an ingredient for each of the fives senses, one to represent the mind, and finally one for spirit. The difficult part was that there wasn’t an exact recipe. It was crucial to understand how different combinations could alter the intended effect. Kanan had learned that the hard way the first time he’d made an energy potion and used Red Bull instead of coffee. Bouncing off the walls was not an adequate enough description for the night he’d had.

He currently had Ezra practicing with sleeping potions. The first few potions they’d done Kanan had given him suggestions of what to use. Now that the kid had a decent grasp on the basics, Kanan trusted him to choose the ingredients. He’d piled the table with his entire stock as a test of some sort. Figuring out how to do something was just as important to being a wizard as actually doing it. Possibly even more so.

“Uh, I just need smell, mind, and spirit,” Ezra said, sniffing a bottle of laundry detergent before adding some to the pot. “I’m surprised you don’t make more money selling this stuff. You’d think everyone would want magical solutions to their problems.”

Kanan shrugged. “My customers are all word of mouth. It’s not like I can advertise under ‘Wizards’ in the phone book. And very few non-practitioners believe in this stuff.”

“I guess.” Ezra picked up a container labeled _Teddy Bear Fluff_. “This okay for spirit?”

“Yup, perfect.” 

The sound of a lock being turned came from the front door. “Hope you guys are hungry,” Hera said, as she entered the apartment, her hands full with boxes. Kanan took them from her, kissing her as he did so. 

“Yes, please.” Ezra practically leapt forward to grab a box.

“Potion first, and then food,” Kanan said, swerving around him.

Ezra grumbled something he couldn’t quite catch but went back to examining the containers.

Hera sat down on one of the stools. “What’s with the hair?” she asked, failing to hide her grin. 

Red flushed up the kid’s cheeks. “Kanan made me sample the hair potion for Sabine. I look like a freaking blueberry.”

Kanan rolled his eyes as he took plates out of the cabinet. “Relax, you only took a sip. It’ll fade soon.”

Ezra held up a small bottle, its contents smoky and shimmering. “Pleasant dreams?” 

“Only use a little. It’s a pain in the ass to acquire.”

Ezra nodded and poured a little of the substance into the pot. “Okay, that’s everything. Uh… do you mind not watching the next part. It makes me nervous.”

Kanan chuckled but turned around. Hera swiveled in her seat, gently bumping him in the arm.

“What’s the next part?” she whispered.

“He has to exert his will on it. Focus on the significance of each ingredient and how they all correlate for the desired effect.”

“Trying to focus here,” Ezra said, his voice strained.

Kanan gave Hera a sideways smile. After a minute of silence there was a slight popping noise. He gestured his head at Hera and the two turned around. The pot frothed with a pale lilac liquid.

“Nice job, padawan. Now you can eat.”

Ezra rolled his eyes and grabbed a plate, filling it with five slices of pizza.

Hell’s bells, teenagers.

* * *

Kanan eyed Ezra as he finished off the last box of pizza. 

Seriously, where did it all go? The kid couldn’t possibly weigh more than one-twenty soaking wet.

“Can I make another potion?” Ezra asked, once he’d devoured the final slice.

“Tomorrow,” Kanan replied. “It’s getting late and we’re getting up early,”

“Ugh, why?” There was a whine in Ezra’s voice found only in teenagers. 

Rather than respond with snark, which was his first instinct, Kanan answered patiently, “I’m going to teach you how to pocket sunshine. It’s a useful ingredient and my supply is getting low.”

Ezra laughed, but then faltered. “Wait, you’re being serious?”

Kanan arched an eyebrow.

“Right,” Ezra said. “Still getting used to some of this weirder stuff.”

“Kid, trust me you haven’t seen weird yet.”

Ezra was clearly stricken by that remark but didn’t say anything. He stood up and began cleaning up the plates and boxes.

The front door opened again, and Hera stepped back inside, turning off her cell. She’d learned with her last phone that magic and technology did not mix well. One of the many perks of dating a wizard.

Kanan had heard of wizards that went completely without. No electricity, no hot water, nothing. It seemed a bit drastic to him. Sure, suppression spells took more effort and sometimes fuses blew, but at least he didn’t have to live like it was the freaking Stone Age. As long as they kept the lights off and only plugged the TV in for the occasional movie, things were usually fine. Unfortunately, anything relatively recent such as cellphones, Xboxes, that kind of thing were still no gos. They tended to only last a few minutes around him before breaking or exploding. It didn’t bother Kanan, he could live without. Ezra on the other hand, was having difficulty adjusting. His face when Kanan had told him to read a book for fun was something Kanan would treasure forever.

“Work?” Kanan asked, though her weary expression was enough of an answer.

Her nose scrunched up in distaste and she laid her head on his shoulder. “Yeah, I should probably head out soon. Something fell through and they pushed up my deadline.”

Kanan started to wrap his arm around her but froze. A cold, staticky sensation crawled up his spine. Nausea, pure and _wrong,_ crashed over him in a wave. He grasped the edge of the table to steady himself.

“Kanan?” Ezra’s voice was a little too quiet. A little too urgent.

Kanan turned his head toward him. Ezra was trembling, all the color drained from his face. “Kid?”

“Do you feel—?”

Ezra’s eyes fluttered closed and he collapsed. 

Several things happened at once. Kanan jumped from his stool, and rushed toward Ezra, Hera right beside him. From outside came the thunderous noise of blaring car alarms joined by several barking dogs. All the candles in the room flickered, but mercifully did not blow out.

“Ezra?” Kanan lifted the kid’s head from the floor, gently tapping his face. His skin was ice. “Come on, kid.”

Slowly Ezra opened his eyes. They were unfocused, but it was enough for Kanan to release the tension in his shoulders. Next to him, Hera let out a breath of relief.

“Kanan?” Ezra murmured. “What happened? I feel so cold.”

“I know. It’s okay.” Kanan scooped up the kid, cradling him to his chest **.** Ezra was still shaking as Kanan carried him to the bed. He made a soft groaning noise as his head hit the pillow and he curled up tight in the blankets.

Now that Kanan knew the kid was relatively fine, he could think clearer. The racket from outside was still ongoing, a chorus of alarms that made his head throb.

“Stay here,” Kanan said to Hera. He grabbed his staff from the wall and threw open the door. The entire block was black, the only light from a few passing cars down the street. He could just barely make out the shapes of people on the sidewalks all trying in vain to figure out what was happening. 

Closing his eyes, he reached out with his mind trying to locate any residual magic. Something cold and ugly lingered, but it was fading. Whatever the curse had been was no danger to them. Or at least not an immediate one. 

He opened his eyes. One of his neighbors was stood out front, a bemused expression on their face as they stared at his staff. Kanan flashed what he hoped was a disarming smile and went back inside.

Ezra’s eyes were closed again, but he was no longer shaking. His expression was tranquil. 

Hera sat perched on the edge next to him, brushing the hair (still a shocking blue) from his face. She held the bottle of sleeping potion.

“What the _hell_ was that?” she said.

“Nothing good,” Kanan answered. The sickly sensation was still present, though not as strong as before. He swallowed and hardened his will, pushing against the invading force. It took significant effort, but he managed to block the feeling out altogether. “How is he?”

“Okay, I think. I gave him a few drops.”

Kanan nodded. “Probably for the best if he sleeps for a bit.” He dropped down onto one of the stools, resting his head in his hands. 

A moment later Hera wrapped her arms around him from behind. “Are you okay?”

“Better than Ezra,” he said dryly. He pulled away from the embrace to look at her. They’d Soulgazed by accident the first time they’d met so he was able to look directly in her eyes. Good thing too, it was one of his favorite sights. “Hera, whatever that curse was, it’s bad. Like blowing up Alderaan level of bad."

“Who could have done it?” 

Kanan shook his head. “No idea. I’m the only full-ranked wizard in the city. Hell, in the state.”

Hera was silent for a moment. “Why did it affect Ezra like that?”

“The kid’s an empath. He’s naturally inclined toward the more emotional stuff. It makes him ultra sensitive to echoes of magic. And magic like that is…” Kanan trailed off with a shudder. “If I could feel it, well I can’t even imagine what it was like for him.”

“He’ll be okay though, right?”

Kanan’s glance traveled to the kid. His face was buried in his pillow, and he slept soundly. “Yeah, he’ll be fine. But he probably won’t be able to capture sunlight any time soon.” He lifted one of Hera’s hands to his mouth, kissing it softly. “You want to stay over tonight? It’s been awhile.”

“I don’t know. I just feel a little weird with Ezra here. Maybe if he wasn’t sleeping in the living room,” she answered.

“I know, I’m looking for a bigger place. Bartending and potions don’t exactly make a guy rich. But it’ll be fine. And I’d feel better knowing you’re safe.”

He felt her nod. “Okay. I think I’m gonna get ready for bed.” She gently brushed her lips against his temple.

“I’ll be there soon. Just want to clean this up a bit”

By the time he had finished arranging all the potion ingredients back in their rightful places, the noise outside had settled down a faint dim. Only a few car alarms still rang. 

Something terrible and monumental had happened tonight. By tomorrow, the news of it will have reached the White Council, if it hadn’t already. They’d flock the city to find the culprit. Magic like that was perverse. To practice such a thing you had to truly believing in hurting people. Anyone willing to go that far was too dangerous to let live. 

“Stars and stones,” he muttered. 

Getting dragged into this mess was the last thing he wanted. For years he’d kept his head down, refusing to engage in wizard matters. He preferred it to the messy politics that often plagued the Council. Especially now that he had Ezra to teach. However, he sincerely doubted that they’d just allow him to sit this one out.

Kanan’s hand lingered on the bottle of sleeping potion and he brought it to his lips. There was time to make more and he couldn’t remember the last restful night he’d had. But he couldn’t bring himself to take a sip. Shaking his head, he replaced the cork. Whatever that curse had been, Kanan suspected it was only the beginning. Best if he wasn’t stuck in dreamland should trouble arise. 

There were plenty of other things that went bump in the night.

**Author's Note:**

> To any Dresden Files fans I hope you got a chuckle out of that one line (you know which one)
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
